Matthew's Mask [Lords of Hawksfell Manor 3] (Siren Publishing Menage Amour) Read Free Page B

replacement the countess found in London, Lily couldn’t know much about what the manor used to be like. Before the earl met her ladyship and Mr. Crowley, that was.
    Posy missed Mary so much, her friendship and her advice, but she wasn’t about to share her feelings with this girl. Lily was quite pretty for a lady’s maid, with dark hair like William and unusual green eyes, but Posy knew Lady Hawksfell had no worries over her. The earl was clearly in love with his lady and would never take a servant again. Yet again Posy regretted everything she’d ever said and every way she’d ever acted regarding the earl’s past desires and demands.
    “Don’t believe everything you hear, Lily,” Posy told her.
    “Everything, Posy?” Lily leaned forward, her eyes intent. “What about the stories I’ve heard about you?”
    Posy stood, willing her trembling legs to hold her up. “Like I said before,” she said, her tone clipped, “don’t believe everything you hear.”
    Her throat tight, she left the common room for the attics. It was about time to change into black for the afternoon, anyway. She wouldn’t find another person to share her hopes and dreams with at the manor. Certainly not with Lily the lady’s maid. Lily had no notion of what drove Posy to come to work here in the first place, of the hunger and hardscrabble life she’d led on the farm. Of the crushing loneliness she’d felt in that emotionless void of her grandparents’ home. Her eyes stung as she reached her room.
    “Posy?” William called softly.
    She turned, her hand still on the doorknob to her escape, to face him. “What is it, William?”
    William studied her, his brown eyes showing his worry. “What happened earlier? When you saw the viscount?”
    She smiled but didn’t feel up to flashing the flirty expression she usually turned toward him. “It’s nothing, really.”
    He stepped closer, and she breathed in his clean, starchy scent. “You looked scared, love.”
    Her breath caught. “Love?”
    His cheeks reddened. “I know I haven’t said that often.”
    “You haven’t said that ever , William.” Again, her eyes stung, but she wouldn’t cry in front of him. “Why are you saying it now? Do you think I’ll throw myself at the viscount?”
    “No!” William looked flustered, his usually calm demeanor a memory. “I know what you did with the earl, Posy. You don’t have to do that now.”
    “You know what I did with the earl. What, exactly, is that?”
    “Well, he…”
    “He fucked me?” she asked in a low voice. “I sucked his cock? What?”
    William looked around then covered her hand on the doorknob and turned. He urged her inside and turned to pin her against the door. “I don’t want to hear about what you did with him.”
    He buried his face in her neck and breathed in like he was pulling her deep inside him. She resisted the urge to wrap her arms around his broad shoulders and pressed back against the door instead. “Do you want to hear about what I didn’t do with him?”
    He lifted his head. “What?” She saw the doubt clear in his eyes.
    He would never believe her, not after the lengths she’d gone to perpetuating her ruse as a randy parlormaid. It would almost be funny if it didn’t hurt so much.
    “Never mind,” she said. “Are you here for a quick tumble, William?”
    He pulled back. “No!”
    She heard his denial but didn’t believe it. His eyes were hot on her face, his cock hard against her belly, and she reached down to grasp him.
    “Then what do you want?” she asked.
    “I was worried about you.” He sucked in a breath as she gently squeezed him. “You looked so shocked when you saw the viscount, I thought—”
    “You thought I let him fuck me already?” She laughed, but the sound was harsh in her ears. She had been with the newest Hawk, but that was months ago. “He only just arrived, William. Surely I should let him settle in before I raise my skirts for him.”
    “Posy,” he said,